Thankfully, a day trip for school students can be every bit as thrilling as a trip abroad, with the added benefits of being lower in cost, easier to plan, and much more.
Learn everything there is to know about planning a successful day trip for your students, and browse the highlights below for some inspiration around your next trip with NGT.
What are the benefits of a 1-day school trip?
A 1-day school trip comes with a wide range of advantages that make it a beneficial choice over a trip abroad:
- No need to book accommodation
You’re only going for a day, so there’s no need to arrange for an overnight stay or carry out the additional admin and planning that comes with it.
- A shorter trip means less spending money required
The topic of spending money can always be challenging, consolidating the experience down reduces the total cost of the trip. often increasing the overall accessibility of the trip for more students.
- Easier for students/parents to pack
No overnight stay means no pyjamas, no change of clothes, and no toiletries required.
- Less can go wrong, meaning less to cover in a risk assessment
Risk assessments are an unexciting but highly important element of planning school trips. Thankfully, fewer activities over a shorter timespan means your trip will have fewer moving parts and fewer potential risks, meaning your risk assessment will be simpler than it otherwise might.
- Increased focus on a single theme or activity
A single day trip provides an opportunity to really focus on a core theme without feeling the need to pad out a variety of activities to ensure students remain engaged.
10 of the best UK day trips for school students
At NGT our team of experts work with you to create tailor-made school trips that fit your education needs, across hundreds of destinations in the UK and abroad.
Below is a selection of some of our most popular UK day trips to give you a sense of what’s possible.
London West-End Theatre Day Trip
What could be better than a day spent in London’s world-famous West End, catching a show and experiencing the magic of performing arts up close?
Immerse your students in a world of theatre, with a range of shows to choose from including Lion King, Wicked, Les Misérables, and Phantom of the Opera.
Science Museum Day Trip
With over 15,000 objects on display and claiming the title of most-visited science and technology museum in Europe, the Science Museum is the perfect destination for any science trip to London.
There’s so much for students to engage with: See lightning strike before your eyes, use giant slides to see physics in action, simulate travel through space, or even see a real piece of the moon up close.
Natural History Museum Day Trip
One of the best places in the world to stand in the presence of real, brilliantly complete dinosaur skeletons, see how to size up alongside a blue whale, or discover a range of extinct creatures.
Housed in stunning architecture and offering countless exhibits and interactive experiences, the Natural History Museum is perfect for science school trips to London.
Imperial War Museum Day Trip
With over 150,000 historical items in its care, the Imperial War Museum promises something for any history school trip to London with a focus on war.
Explore exhibits including ships, aircrafts, vehicles, weapons, uniforms and more during your visit to the Imperial War Museum. Consider pairing it with a trip to the nearby HMS Belfast to make the day trip even more memorable for your students.
International Slavery Museum & Liverpool River Cruise Day Trip
For students of cultural studies and history, learning about slavery and its impact on society, there are few places in the UK more educational than the International Slavery Museum in Liverpool.
The museum offers guided school tours, and a range of activities, workshops and resources for groups of all ages. Topics include Life in West Africa, enslavement and the trauma of passage across the Atlantic, life on plantations in the Americas, and the ongoing fight for equality.
Edinburgh Castle & Dynamic Earth Day Trip
A 1-day school trip to Edinburgh wouldn’t be complete without a trip to the iconic Edinburgh Castle. Set in the heart of Scotland's dynamic capital city with scenery that will take your breath away, students can marvel at the crown jewels and the Mons Meg—one of the greatest guns in medieval Europe.
For a change of pace from the castle, the Dynamic Earth experience in Edinburgh takes your students on a journey through time to tell the story of our planet. Covering evolution, environmental impact, and more—this is a perfect addition for geography trips to Edinburgh.
Stratford-upon-Avon Shakespeare Day Trip
Where better for a drama and performing arts school trip than the home of Shakespeare himself, Stratford-upon-Avon.
Take in a Royal Shakespeare Company performance, participate in a drama workshop, or even attend a backstage tour at the RSC, followed by a walking tour of Shakespeare’s house—it’s all possible!
London Globe Theatre Shakespeare Day Trip
If you’d prefer a drama and performing arts school trip to London, you can’t go wrong with a visit to the legendary Globe Theatre.
Enjoy a Shakespeare performance, seated or standing in the authentic surroundings of the famous Globe Theatre. But be sure to hurry, these performances sell out quickly every year.
Performances vary from year to year, but include the likes of Richard III, Much Ado About Nothing, and The Taming of the Shrew.
Tower of London & London Dungeons Day Trip
A history school trip to London wouldn’t be complete without a visit to its most infamous prison—the Tower of London. See where numerous individuals lost their heads and visit the Prisoners exhibition, which features some of the Tower’s more notorious convicts including Anne Boleyn, Edward V, Guy Fawkes, and Sir Thomas More.
Head to the London Dungeon for a combination of real history, horror, and humour to bring gruesome goings-on back to life in the 21st century. A thrilling and exciting trip that your students will love, with actors recreating events such as the Great Fire of London, Sweeney Todd, Jack the Ripper, and an 18th Century courtroom.
Chelsea Football Club Day Trip
For students of PE and Sports Studies on a trip to London, few would turn down the opportunity to take a tour of Chelsea Football Club.
Our Business of Football tour provides an excellent insight into the business of football, including merchandise, marketing, finance and staffing. This is a great resource for coursework and revision which students of sport, leisure, tourism, and marketing may also find informative.
How to make the most of a school day trip
Here are some helpful guidelines for making the most of your 1-day school trips:
- Get a good night’s sleep before — nobody wants to start a day trip feeling drained
- Aim to be back in the late afternoon or early evening where possible — this makes things more convenient for parents, will have less impact on the student’s sleep, and will make your job easier
- Don’t try to cram too many things in — you can always switch to a 2- or 3-day trip if there is more you want to do
- Create lesson plans around the trip’s themes — this can be an excellent way to turn a 1-day school trip into a full week of learning
- Make use of free resource packs — we offer free resources for Geography and History teachers, which you can use to help with your lesson planning
What to pack for a 1-day school trip
Packing for a 1-day trip will largely depend on the nature of the activity, however it is a good idea to bring a few essentials to be prepared for anything, such as:
- Waterproof coat
- Bottle of water to stay hydrated
- Packed lunch (if required)
- Snacks (in case you get hungry before scheduled meal times—try to keep them healthy)
- Sunscreen
Plan your 1-day school trip with NGT
At NGT, we pride ourselves on crafting trips that perfectly fit your educational needs.
To start planning your next 1-day school trip, reach out to our expert team and request a quote.
